1. Scope of Invention
Generally, this invention is directed towards vacuum cleaners for use with carpeted surfaces. More specifically, this invention provides a vacuum carpet cleaning apparatus which penetrates deep into the carpet and thereby allowing debris from deep within the carpet to be vacuum extracted.
2. Prior Art
One of the problems noticed with typical vacuum cleaners using conventional motor driven roller brushes is that only debris and dirt from the surface area of the carpet is extracted. Dirt deep below the surface of the carpet fibers remains and is not affected by the rotating brushes. Moreover, the bristles of the roller brushes tend to beat down onto the carpet fibers thereby causing premature degradation of the carpet fibers and discoloration. Additionally, beating down on the carpet fibers by the vacuum roller brushes causes the carpet fibers to be compressed together thus further impeding dirt and debris from being removed from the below the surface of the carpeted floors.
Another problem with conventional vacuum cleaners is that the rotating brushes tend to get tangled with fibrous materials such as hair and string. These materials can quickly build up around the roller brush and exert additional load on the vacuum motor, possibly damaging the vacuum motor and requiring frequent replacement of vacuum cleaner belts due to excessive wear and tear.
Several approaches to this problem have been provided for vacuum cleaner designs and apparatus. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,538, an improved carpet cleaning machine intended for use with "dry" carpet cleaning systems using dampened granules or particles is disclosed which can be used in either or two modes. One mode involves carpet brushing for dirt removal by urging particles into the carpet and along the fibers. The other mode involves later vacuuming for particle removal. To facilitate the latter, one embodiment of the machine has first and second particle-removing media such as a concentrically-mounted cyclone separator and conical screen filter, respectively. The separator has air flowing through it downwardly along a vertical path and then upward, such air flow often carrying along a few particles. Such high-velocity particles impinge on the outer surface of the screen filter and many particles adhering to such filter are dislodged. The filter is said to thereby be "purged" or cleaned. There may also be a third medium and even a fourth medium to remove very fine particles before the air is expelled back into the room. Other embodiments use an automotive, resilient foam or flat-element filter medium in place of or in addition to the conical screen filter.
In the apparatus taught by U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,591, an improved machine convertible for brush-aided cleaning or vacuuming includes a pair of powered brushes counterrevolving for stroking solvent-dampened carpet cleaning particles through the carpet and along carpet fibers during initial cleaning. A separately powered pod is detachable from the machine during brush-aided carpet cleaning and attached to a machine-mounted vacuum nozzle for carpet vacuuming to pick up the dirt-laden particles. The pod has first and second media selected to remove particles of differing sizes from air flowing through the pod. During initial carpet cleaning when vacuum is not needed, the pod may be detached and used in another area for hand-vacuuming carpeted stairs and other "small-area" places.
In the art taught by U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,719, an improved cleaning apparatus for cleaning carpet, upholstery and the like includes a housing, a first storage tank for liquid cleaning solution, a dispensing pump for dispensing the cleaning solution to an area to be cleaned, a vacuum motor for suctioning excess cleaning solution and other material extracted from the area, and a second storage tank removably carried in the housing for accumulating excess cleaning fluid and other material extracted from the area. The respective upper portion of the first and second storage tanks extend above the housing when the first and second storage tanks are each equipped with a pair of handles to facilitate removal and replacement of the respective tanks. A quick disconnect fitting is provided for locating the first storage tank so that the first storage tank is in fluid communication with the dispensing pump. The quick disconnect fitting enables rapid removal of the first storage tank from the housing and facilitates reinstallation thereof.
While some of the prior art may contain some similarities relating to the present invention, none of them teach, suggest or include all of the advantages and unique features of a vacuum cleaning machine combined with a roller attachment apparatus including a plurality of free-rolling spurred or star-shaped disks for extracting dirt and debris from deep within the carpet fibers. For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for such an apparatus that can easily facilitate extraction of dirt and debris from deep inside the fibers of a carpet.